Human Resources Strategy

Caveat Venditionesque Pice (Beware the sales pitch)

sales_pitchNovember HR Magazine’s Point/Counterpoint column (pp. 22-23) takes on emotional intelligence, asking “Is emotional intelligence a good measure of leadership ability?” On one side, the vendor who provides emotional intelligence tests and training, said “Yes.” The counterpoint: a professor of organizational behavior said, “No.” Who to believe?

Conflicting evidence and claims abound in HR circles these days. Human Resources has become big business, and consultants and technology vendors are jumping on the bandwagon with products and services to help HR become strategic. After all, that is what CEOs say they want from HR, and what HR says we want to be. Vendors need to sell to remain in business, and they become very good at their sales pitch. (more…)

A question about job descriptions….out of the mouth of babes

job descriptionsOnce upon a time, there was a young woman studying to become an HR professional. Her professor invited a panel of senior HR professionals from each area of HR to meet with the class: Compensation, Recruiting, Employee Relations, Learning & Development and a senior HR generalist, who called himself an HR Business Partner.

After presentations, the professor opened up the dialogue to questions from the students. The young woman asked the group, “I wrote job descriptions in a summer internship, but I’m still not exactly sure how they are really used in an organization. Can you help me understand?” (more…)

Grateful for HR Incompetence!

facebook hr_SMALLImagine the pride I feel for my profession when a friend of mine posts this on Facebook!

Sorry. Forgive the sarcasm.

But it’s a valid point. I hate the fact that, in many organizations, the Human Resources department is seen as an obstacle and anything other than helpful.

What is interesting to think about is that we (HR) spend so much time bemoaning not being allowed to be strategic, that we miss opportunities to do some of the tactical stuff right. (more…)